One Valentines Day When My Life Changed
by fawkes-08
Summary: It's Valentines Day. Naturally every year, Hermione let it pass like some ordinary day. Until lunchtime, when she heard something her feelings can't ignore... HHr. One Shot.


**A/N:** Hello Guys… Sorry I haven't publish anything lately, I've been busy... Anyway, here's another one shot on Harry and Hermione. Happened on Valentines Day.

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter is the property of the wonderful JK Rowling and is copyrighted by Warner Bros. I have no right to claim Harry Potter as mine.

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**One Valentines Day When My Life Changed**

Fourteenth of February. The holiday celebrated with love, hearts, sweets, and cards. The day when there is an exchange of sweets and card between students of the opposite sex. The day when lovers get to express their love at most. The Day of Hearts. Valentines day.

Valentines Day at Hogwarts was cold. Cold because the snow from the winter season hadn't all melted. But for Hermione, even though Hogwarts provide excellent heating provisions, it was still cold. Cold because she thought that she would still let it pass like any other day. But fate decided to play a game to her; as it turned out to be the happiest day of her life.

From the moment Hermione woke up, she could already feel the excitement of the day. She woke up with the voices of Lavender and Parvati talking eagerly about their dates.

"And Ron said he would have a surprise for me tonight. I wonder what could it be. I can hardly wait." Lavender said, sitting at Parvati's bed.

"Oooh! What could that be? Well, Do you know what will you wear?" And when she saw the look of horror on Lavender's eyes, she added, "Come, I have something here I bought from the last Hogsmeade trip… Oh, Good Morning Hermione! It's Valentines Day! It's just a pity it's not a weekend. I'm surprise Dumbledore did not make it a holiday." Parvati greeted as she pull out clothes from her trunk.

"Good Morning. What time is it?" Hermione asked groggily while rubbing her eyes."

"Don't worry, it's hours before classes. We just got up early so we can figure out what to wear for the day. And you? Why are up this early? Don't tell you want to get homework done again?" Lavender teased.

"No, maybe because you two talk so loud I reckon you can be heard in the Great Hall. And besides, what's wrong with studying. If you hadn't notice, NEWTS are only weeks away."

"Really now Hermione. Is that all you ever think? Studying? It's Valentines Day! Don't tell me you still haven't got a date? Honestly..."

"I don't have a date. Is that a big deal? Anyway, I think I'll go down and catch breakfast. See you at Double Potions."

"Ok."

As Hermione exited their dorm, she can still hear their conversation.

"Maybe he'll propose to her today..."

"Yeah… I like to see that happen..."

'Now who can be that guy who would propose to a girl?' Hermione wondered but disregarded that thing and stride down to the Great Hall. Not much students were there yet when she arrived. She decided to finish breakfast quickly so she can go to the library for a few minutes to double check her homework in Potions. But her _quick_ breakfast continued for hours. She looked at her food but she doesn't feel like eating. Hermione began to play with her food.

She was picking at her food not eating anything. She was so lost in thought about, well, Valentines Day. She was wondering how could they make a big deal about this stuff. How can they have fun when they still have to revise for their upcoming N.E.W.T.s? She feels that she was the only student in Hogwarts who cared about their exams. But still she couldn't help but feel a little… _jealous_…about everything that is happening to other girls that's not happening to her. Of course, you might wonder, why in the world would she think about Valentines Day and boys when she have got books and homework to think of. Well, because of someone… someone she lo- _'No, no Hermione! You don't lo- like Harry Potter! He's your best friend! You can't possibly feel anything for him!' _Hermione mentally scolded herself. '_You only love him as a friend and what's more, you have your books right?'_

As the day went on, Hermione was greatly affected by Valentines Day. Between trips to classes, she saw couples walking hand in hand. She saw some notes, in which she was sure are love notes, being passed to one another. She even saw a Hupplepuff blushing furiously while carrying a bouquet of roses while hurrying to their common room. She couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy and sadness. By lunchtime, she was so distressed by the occasion that she didn't mind to eat anything again.

"Hi Hermione."

"Oh, hi Neville." Then she continued to play with her food.

"Uh… Hermione are you all right? You look pale? Are you ill?

"No, no Neville. I'm fine"

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Hey, have you seen Harry and Ron?"

"Harry and Ron are in the common room. They said they couldn't come for lunch. I think they're preparing for something."

Just then, Parvati and Lavender sat down not far from them whilst talking animatedly about something.

"He is going to propose today to her! Ron told me so," Lavender eagerly whispered.

"What do you think will she say?"

"I don't know. But I hope it's yes."

"Me too. They'll look good together. I can hardly wait!"

Ginny, becoming irritated piped in and annoyingly asked, "Would you mind to tell me who the heck are you talking about?"

"He's proposing to her! Harry is proposing to Cho!"

"What!"

"Yes. We've heard him practice for ages. He was really funny talking to himself like that." Lavender explained. Ginny raised a brow.

"How can you be so sure that it was Cho he is proposing to? Have you heard him say Cho's name?"

"Well, no. But Harry fancies Cho since fourth year. So to whom will Harry propose to? Of course, to her!" Lavender insisted.

It was unfortunate that Hermione was not far from them. Had she not heard them, she would still feel miserable about Valentines Day. But she heard it all. Harry is proposing to Cho today. Maybe even right now. She suddenly felt weird. Sick. Like her heart dropped to the ground with a loud thud. _'What's happening to me? Why am I feeling like this? I should be happy right? I should be happy for my best friend! He finally found someone. I should be happy!'_ Then some voice in the back of her mind said, 'you should be, but you aren't… Admit it… You love him and you're hurt...'_ 'No, no, no!'…_

"Um… Hermione? You sure you are all right? You really look ill."

"No I'm fine. Really. I'm done eating now. See you later.

Hermione walked very calmly which was very surprising because she most likely want to burst out that moment. When she was out of the Great Hall, she broke into a run, tears already streaming down her cheeks.

She doesn't exactly know how but she suddenly found herself sitting under a shadowy beech tree just beside the lake. It is the same tree that the trio sat under when they go outside the school grounds.

"What is wrong with me? Why am I crying?" Hermione asked herself as she angrily wiped those crystal tears away. "Why am I feeling jealous? Why am I… hurt?"

'Because you love him.' Said the bothersome voice in the back of her mind.

"Who are you? Why are you always bothering me? I don't love him..."

'Oh yeah… but you do. If you don't love him, then why do you always want to see him? Why are you so worried whenever he says he doesn't feel good? Why is it that that you could never feel angry to him? Why is that that just the mere presence of him makes you happy? And if you don't love him, why are you crying now?'

With this, Hermione cried even harder. "Oh Harry…. I… I… love you… there, I admitted it… I love you. Merlin. How could you made me fall for you when you wouldn't catch me? I've fallen hard, Harry. Hard. Now it hurts. It hurts so badly. You are now proposing to Cho. I'll never have you now. As much as I wish I did, I'll never have you." She sat there for hours. Crying and desperately wishing that maybe if she tells Harry how she feels, maybe, just maybe, he would feel the same way. Suddenly-

"Hermione! Hermione!"

There are only two persons in all of magical world who would go looking for Hermione if she had missed all her afternoon classes. The one was busy flirting with another girl, specifically, Lavender. The other one was, well, running towards her then. She didn't need to turn around because she already knew who that person was. Still she wiped her eyes and turned to acknowledge that person.

"Hi Harry."

"Hermione." Greeted a panting Harry, "Why are you here? Have you realized that you have missed all your classes? I asked Neville where you are but he didn't know. He just said that you look ill. I went to the Hospital Wing but Madam Pomfrey told me you never went there. I checked the library and asked Ginny to go to your dormitory but you're still not there. Until I saw you on the Marauder's Map. Hermione, you got me worried sick, you know."

"I'm sorry Harry. But I don't feel like going to classes this time." Seeing the worried look on Harry's face, she added, "Really, I am fine. No need to go to Madam Pomfrey. I am all right."

Harry smirked, "Ok, ok. I get it. You know, If Ron's here. He would believe that you really are sick. Having miss all you classes is a first time" Hermione weakly smiled.

Harry's face turned serious. He sat down beside her. For a moment, they just sat there. Looking at the peaceful lake. Hermione marvelled how could a great squid and different kinds of dangerous creatures live in this beautiful and calm lake. Hermione looked at Harry. Harry looked so deep in thought. Like he was about to tell something important. He was so lost in his contemplation that he did not notice Hermione studying him. A noise of a breaking twig broke the silence upon them. Harry snapped out of his reverie and looked more nervous about something. _'How come Harry's acting so weird? Maybe he still hadn't proposed to her so he still unsure about himself.'_

"Umm… Hermione?"

"Hmmm?"

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you…"

Hermione sighed. _'This is it. He's going to tell me about Cho. But why does he seem so nervous and a bit unsure of what to say? Maybe he's going to ask for advice.'_

"We've known each other for a long time," he continued, "Well since first year. We shared a lot of memories, both good and bad. We've been through the trapped door and saved the Sorcerer's stone. We figured out the mystery behind the Chamber of Secrets. We had rescued Sirius from the Dementor. We– "

"I got your point Harry." Hermione interrupted, grinning. "We three are the best of friends and we've been through a lot of difficulties though we managed to get through them. We love each other and we know we'll be friends perpetually."

Harry warmly smiled at Hermione. She just loves his smile. The way the corners of his mouth turn up just makes Hermione forget about everything else. She stared at Harry and almost got drowned at the emerald green eyes of the Boy Who Lived. She almost sighed but caught herself just in time. He took a deep breath. Hermione prepared for the worst.

"I was just wondering… er... Do you think we could be…er…more than friends?" He said this and looked at her straight in the eyes.

Hermione stared at Him in surprise. She didn't know what to say or how to react. All this time that she had been crying because of a boy she thought she could never have… Her face broke into a grin that turned into laughter. She laughed in utter happiness.

Harry looked at her in confusion and embarrassment. "Hey look, I know I must have sounded stupid for you to start laughing like that but –"

"No, it's not that." She answered, shaking her head with a big grin. "Don't you get it? I'm laughing because… because all this time…I've been wasting my tears for crying because I thought you'll never feel the same way I do... Well, you actually do." He sighed in total relief.

Abruptly, Hermione's smile disappeared, "But what about Cho?" she asked.

"What about her?"

"Well, I overheard Parvati and Lavender that they heard you practicing some kind of a proposal speech for Cho. Also, Ron told Parvati that you'd propose today." Hermione clarified. It was now Harry's turn to laugh.

"Oh that! All I said to Ron is that I'm going to propose to her. I didn't mention any name. They must have thought that it was Cho I'm proposing to." Hermione looked amused by the Harry's reason but didn't say anything.

Silence. The two Gryffindor watched the horizon as the sun crept down the mountains. Moments passed and finally Harry spoke.

"I've loved you since the first day I saw you." He suddenly said his eyes turned toward the setting sun. Hermione smiled.

"I know. I also loved you since then." Harry turned to her and took her hand.

"Hermione, I promise to love you forever." Once again, silence took over. Harry slowly lowered his head capturing Hermione's lips with his own.

Five years later after that fateful day on the Fourteenth of February, they sat together under that beech tree by the lake, Hermione's hand clasped in Harry's. He kept his promise. He sealed it on the ring he placed on her finger that same day.

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**A/N:** And that is the end of a quite long one-shot. Sorry if the title's a bit long. I can't think of an appropriate title for this. Maybe you can suggest one? Then I ca edit this story and change the title. Oh, well, hope you like it. And don't forget to give me a review! 


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